Carmen's Media Studies Blog

A clip from the Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) was being displayed in my media studies class. The clip showed Katniss Everdeen's wedding dress catching on fire and then turning into a blue dress with wings . The blue dress with wings connotative meaning is that it represents a blue jay bird and her wedding dress catching on fire and turning into the blue dress represents the new Katniss and how she is more powerful, fierce, and has more freedom like a blue jay bird. Another thing that occurred  in the clip is that Peeta and Katniss announced that Katniss is pregnant. The croud was shocked and the room was filled with gasps. The croud reacted this way since Katniss being pregnant  meant that she would be put in danger if she continued playing the game so the crowd was appalled to hear the news of her potentially not playing the game anymore since she is having a baby.

  The concept of this lesson is  understanding  the definitions and signs of denotation and connotation in a semiotic analysis. Semiotics is the study of signs in our culture. The creator of the Barthes theory of denotation and connotation is Ronald Barthes. The Barthes Theory of Denotation and  Connotation defines the meaning  of denotation and connotation and their signs in everything. Signs are the smallest units of meaning. Denotation is the literal meaning of a sign. An example is how a red rose is a flower. The definition of connotation is the meaning of a word with context. For example, the connotation of rose can be love, romance, and loss.  My media studies teacher assigned everyone in groups of two to do a  Barthes Theory of  Denotative and Connotative Signs semiotic analysis. My partner Juel C. and I began by drawing a chart and defining the terms: signs, denotation, and connotation. We then drew a cat, bird, and rose. And finally we de...

 The importance of studying Media studies is to understand what is occurring  in the world around us and how consumption effects us as people. A personal example of my media consumption habits are watching Tiktok, going to the movie theaters, and watching the news with my grandfather. My favorite media product is music. I listen to music to enlighten my mood and to be entertained by the beat and lyrics of songs. Most teenagers around my age  listen to music to also uplift their mood and even make new friends. Those who listen to similar music or artists share a connection and create bonds through having similarities in music taste. Three things that I find interesting about Media Studies is the teaching of how consuming media affects people, how it opens our mind to consuming other media products, and how it teaches the difference between media products, conventions, and media forms. The media product I will be documenting is an opening  film. The opening film's targ...